Two babies in the United States have been born with microcephaly due to being infected in the womb with the Zika virus, the California Department of Public Health has confirmed.
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Pregnant women are at greatest risk because the virus can cause devastating birth defects. It can cause balance problems, developmental delays and seizures.
“This award will ensure that OH can identify Zika-affected babies and connect their families with the health services they need”. “It is very likely that we will have local transmission of the Zika virus by mosquitos like Florida is now experiencing”.
A spokesperson for the department initially said the eight women were confirmed to have Zika virus, but later said five cases remained unclear.
“I actually put skin repellent all over myself just to be protected and, luckily, I wasn’t bitten by any mosquitoes and I came back fine”, said Hernandez. “Both men and women of childbearing age should take precautions if they have recently traveled, or plan to travel, to a location where Zika is spreading”, Smith said.
The fight against the Zika virus on USA soil is now at a new level. Pregnant women are scrambling to get tested.
New Hampshire is a long way from this one square-mile area of Miami where more than a dozen people contracted the first locally transmitted cases in the country.
Health department officials said that samples have been sent to the U.S.
Regardless, Los Angeles County health officials said the news should be a reminder to pregnant women about the dangers of Zika. “It is key that we protect pregnant women”.
Concerned about a nationwide outbreak and a potential epidemic, the CDC funding is meant to ensure that the system infrastructure is in place to provide public health surveillance capabilities in those states and territories that are most susceptible to Zika infection.
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“We are participating in the CDC birth registry to follow patients who may have been exposed to Zika while pregnant”, Chan said.
